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Saturday, August 2, 2008

The Adventure Begins...

A few days ago I was going to begin this blog with a witty introduction...but a few days ago I hadn't packed yet either. After going to bed between 2 and 3am each morning this week, the packing sadly didn't happen as quickly as I would have liked. I should probably also tell you that I do many things well, but packing is NOT one of them! However, with that having been said, we leave for our great adventure in 16 hours... By we, I mean my husband Joe and my mother-in-law Marie. If you think that traveling with your mother-in-law and your husband to a far off land is not your ordinary vacation...well you're probably right, but I think we'll be ok!

The journey begins with a 17-18 hour flight from JFK to Johannesburg, South Africa...I mean who doesn't like being folded up like a pretzel for a million hours in a plane full of dehydration....A few days ago Marie asked me what first class was like and I told her. Heaven. However, I also told her that heaven costs about $5000-6000. She then replied..."Oh, I thought it would only be like $100 more and if that was the case I was going to suggest we go for it." Believe me, if first class were only $100 extra per person I would have already gone for it! Ah well...pretzel it is.

The Chiappa Family African Adventure as I like to call it is laid out like this:

August 4-7-Kruger National Park, South Africa (I want to see a bushbaby!)August 8-Fly to Lusaka ZambiaAugust 9-13-Canoe Safari down the Zambezi ("I love hippos....which is fine as long as you don't love them too close.....I'm really excited to see elephants though!)August 14-Fly to Cape Town South Africa, Try to go on a cultural tour with dinner and traditional dance in a townshipAugust 15-Tour of Cape Town, self drive to Hermanus (whale-watching capital of the world..it is Southern Right Whale breeding season and you can see upwards of 50 whales right from the shore!)August 16- (enter Jaws theme...) Cat-Great White Shark Cage Diving! Joe and Marie....relaxing and shopping...August 17-Sea Kayaking in a Whale Sanctuary (how cool is that!) Then onward to the Winelands...August 18-Sightseeing, Wine tasting, Food Coma....August 19-Spa Day! Relaxation at last.....Joe goes biking and drinking...maybe at the same timeAugust 20-Travel to Cape Town..sightseeing and loose ends...August 21-Cat to Windhoek Namibia, Joe and Marie homeAugust 22-Joe and Marie arrive at JFK at 7amish, Cat to Harnas Wildlife Foundation (check out the video...takes about 30 seconds to begin once it is loaded)August 22-September 18-Harnas Wildlife Foundation (feeding baboons, sleeping with cheetahs and hanging out with all kinds of animals!)August 19-Cat begins to head home...August 20-Cat arrives at Dulles at 6amish...

I will try to blog when I can while we are all together, but once Joe gets home he will be writing about my adventures for me as communication will be spotty on my end.